Farmed Turkey Welfare: Pre-Slaughter Handling

How turkeys are handled in the hours before slaughter has a major impact on their welfare and meat quality, with stunning and catching procedures being critical welfare points.

Key Facts

Around 14 million turkeys are slaughtered in the UK each year, with the majority killed in November-December
Catching turkeys by hand causes acute stress, fear, and potential injury from wing and leg damage
Controlled atmosphere stunning using gas mixtures is considered more humane than electrical stunning
Many turkeys arrive at slaughter plants injured from catching and transport
Free-range and higher welfare turkeys may have better pre-slaughter welfare but face similar slaughter challenges

Welfare Considerations

The pre-slaughter period is among the most stressful of a turkey's life. Catching, crating, transport, lairage, and stunning all represent distinct welfare hazards. Minimising the duration of each phase and ensuring effective stunning before slaughter are the key welfare priorities. Effective monitoring and enforcement of welfare at slaughter is essential.

What You Can Do

Choose higher welfare certified turkey from producers with documented pre-slaughter standards
Support supermarket commitments to higher welfare turkey sourcing
Ask producers about their stunning methods and pre-slaughter handling practices
Consider plant-based alternatives for traditional turkey occasions
Advocate for mandatory CCTV in all turkey slaughter facilities